The theme of the wicked rejecting the Scriptures is a recurring motif throughout the Bible. This rejection is not merely a refusal to acknowledge the written word but is often indicative of a deeper spiritual rebellion against God Himself. The Scriptures, as the divine revelation of God's will and character, are meant to guide, instruct, and correct humanity. However, the wicked, characterized by their opposition to God's ways, often spurn this divine guidance.

Old Testament Insights

In the Old Testament, the rejection of God's word is frequently associated with disobedience and idolatry. Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Here, the "fools" are those who reject the wisdom found in God's word, choosing instead to follow their own paths. This rejection is not merely intellectual but moral, as it involves a willful turning away from God's commandments.

The prophet Jeremiah laments the people's disregard for God's word, saying, "To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen? Look, their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it" (Jeremiah 6:10). This passage highlights the spiritual deafness of the wicked, who find God's word burdensome rather than life-giving.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, the rejection of the Scriptures is often linked to the rejection of Jesus Christ, the living Word. Jesus Himself faced opposition from those who were considered religious leaders, yet who failed to recognize Him as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. In John 5:39-40, Jesus confronts the Pharisees, saying, "You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life."

The Apostle Paul also addresses the rejection of God's word in his epistles. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, he warns, "For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." This passage underscores the tendency of the wicked to reject the truth of Scripture in favor of teachings that align with their own desires.

Consequences of Rejection

The rejection of the Scriptures by the wicked leads to spiritual blindness and ultimately, judgment. Psalm 50:17-22 warns of the consequences: "You hate My instruction and cast My words behind you... Consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you." The rejection of God's word is portrayed as a serious offense that leads to divine retribution.

In Romans 1:18-25, Paul describes the downward spiral of those who reject God's truth, exchanging it for lies and worshiping created things rather than the Creator. This passage illustrates the moral and spiritual decay that follows the rejection of divine revelation.

Call to Repentance

Despite the rejection by the wicked, the Scriptures consistently call for repentance and a return to God's word. Isaiah 55:6-7 invites, "Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon."

The Bible presents the rejection of the Scriptures as a grave error with eternal consequences, yet it also offers hope for redemption through repentance and faith in God's revealed word.Jeremiah 8:9
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: see, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Wicked Husbandmen.
... the Lord unrevealed, and a terror to wicked men unspoken ... this grand text from the
Old Testament Scriptures, which the ... whether his own will receive or reject him ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xi the wicked husbandmen.htm

The Second Wall.
... that the Pope and his followers are wicked and not ... is for the Pope alone to interpret
the Scriptures or to ... mind of Christ; why then should we reject their word ...
/.../luther/first principles of the reformation/the second wall.htm

The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God, While He ...
... even in the hearts of the wicked, at the ... of its exceeding their capacity, they reject
a matter ... without reservation, whatever the Holy Scriptures, have delivered ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 18 the instrumentality of.htm

Miller's views on the Second Coming of Christ.
... things which are not clearly expressed, nor reject things which ... I believe that the
Scriptures do reveal unto us ... be destroyed, the bodies of the wicked will be ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/millers views on the second.htm

Faustus Fails to Understand Why He Should be Required Either to ...
... to us what to believe and what to reject in the ... should dare to lay the blame on
Scriptures of such ... in Scripture"the lovers of the world, the wicked, or carnal ...
/.../faustus fails to understand why.htm

Of Passages from the Holy Scriptures, and from the Apocrypha ...
... which is delivered in the Scriptures, and which ... the more largely he pays, however
wicked and impure he ... excusable; whereas those who obstinately reject the truth ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/of passages from the holy.htm

Search the Scriptures
... is true: there it is; I tell it out; reject it, and ... if ye would not be thus misled,
search ye the Scriptures. ... is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked;" he may ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/search the scriptures.htm

The Doctrine of the Scriptures.
... contains history, and the language of men, even of wicked men ... make such a claim to
prove the inspiration of the Scriptures. ... Such a theory we absolutely reject. ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of the scriptures.htm

On the Character and Teaching of the Bishop.
... For the Lord Jesus says: "Search the Scriptures; for they ... do some good action, and
avoid some wicked one ... hear the instruction of thy father, and reject not the ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on the character and.htm

Christian Connection.
... this pronunciation of the word they universally reject as very ... has a right to study
the Scriptures, and to ... of judgment, the righteous and the wicked will be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/christian connection.htm

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